Due to harsh conditions last winter, New York's farm wineries will be allowed to buy out-of-state grapes to supplement the harvest in the making of 2014 vintage wines.

The 2013-2014 winter has already prompted a federal disaster declaration for some of the state's wine regions, including the Finger Lakes. That allows winery and vineyard owners to apply for federal emergency loans.

Typically, New York's wineries must use 100 percent New York-grown grapes or other fruits to qualify for the benefits of the farm winery license. Those benefits include the ability to sell food, souvenirs and other items at their gift shops. The state has 291 licensed farm wineries.

The waiver to use out-of-state grapes, issued by the state department of Agriculture & Markets, comes after the recent winter caused extensive bud damage to the vines in parts of the state. Areas in the northern half of the Finger Lakes were among the hardest hit.

This is the first out-of-state grape waiver issued by the state since 2005.

A Cornell University study this year found that 15 grape varieties in the state experienced more than 40 percent bud loss, which would drastically reduce the yield for those varieties. Some vineyards suffered more loss.

Scott Osborn, president of Fox Run Vineyards in Penn Yan, said his vineyards had as much as 75 percent loss.

Farm wineries must apply to the state Department of Agriculture and Markets to seek the waiver for buying out-of-state grapes.

Under federal law, a wine can be labeled a "New York" wine if 75 percent of its grapes are grown in state. The state waiver does not affect the federal labelling law. The Ag & Markets department said it is too soon to tell how many wines might fail to qualify for New York labelling this year.

New York is the country's third leading state for wine and grape production. According to a recent study commissioned by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, the wine and grape industry generates $4.8 billion in economic impact.

As an agricultural business, grape-growing has its up-and-down cycles. The 2013 harvest in the Finger Lakes was widely considered one of the best in quality and quantity in recent memory.

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